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Creative Sound Blaster X5 USB DAC Review

The Creative Sound Blaster X5 is a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that is designed to provide high-quality audio playback for music lovers and audiophiles. With its sleek design, powerful amplifier, and wide range of connectivity options, the Sound Blaster X5 is an excellent choice for those who demand the very best in sound quality. One of the standout features of the Sound Blaster X5 is its powerful amplifier, which is capable of driving high-impedance headphones up to 600 ohms. This means that you can use even the most demanding headphones with the Sound Blaster X5 and still enjoy crystal-clear audio with plenty of volume.

Another impressive feature of the Sound Blaster X5 is its wide range of connectivity options. The device has both analog and digital inputs, including a 3.5mm jack, RCA inputs, and optical and coaxial digital inputs. There is also a USB port, which allows you to connect your computer or mobile device directly to the Sound Blaster X5 for high-quality digital audio playback.

The Sound Blaster X5 also has a number of EQ and audio processing options, which allow you to customize the sound to your preferences. There are several preset EQ modes to choose from, as well as a fully customizable EQ that allows you to fine-tune the sound to your exact specifications. Additionally, the device features Creative’s SBX Pro Studio technology, which provides virtual surround sound and other advanced audio processing features.

In terms of design, the Sound Blaster X5 is sleek and stylish, with a brushed aluminum finish that looks great on any desk or shelf. The device is relatively compact, measuring just 190 x 109 x 30 mm, so it won’t take up too much space on your desk. The front panel features a large volume knob and several buttons for controlling the various features of the device, while the back panel has all of the connectivity options.

Rear Panel

Setting up the Sound Blaster X5 is a breeze. Simply connect your headphones or speakers to the device, plug in your source device using one of the many available inputs, and you’re ready to go. The device is plug-and-play compatible with Windows and Mac computers, so you don’t need to worry about installing any drivers or software.

So, what about the sound quality? In a word, it’s excellent. The Sound Blaster X5 provides clear, detailed sound with plenty of volume and a wide soundstage. The device is particularly well-suited to music playback, with the ability to bring out the subtleties and nuances of even the most complex recordings. The bass is tight and controlled, while the midrange and treble are smooth and well-balanced.

One area where the Sound Blaster X5 really excels is in its ability to drive high-impedance headphones. If you have a pair of headphones with an impedance rating of 300 ohms or more, you’ll really appreciate the power of the Sound Blaster X5’s amplifier. The device is able to drive even the most demanding headphones with ease, delivering a clean and powerful sound with plenty of headroom.

Front Panel

In terms of drawbacks, there really aren’t many to speak of. Some users may find the device’s price tag to be a bit high, but considering the quality of the components and the overall performance of the device, it’s a fair price to pay for such an excellent DAC.

Overall, the Creative Sound Blaster X5 is an outstanding digital-to-analog converter that offers the excellent sound quality, a powerful amplifier, and a wide range of connectivity options. Whether you’re a music lover, a gamer, or a movie buff, the Sound Blaster X5 is sure to impress with its stunning sound quality and impressive feature set. Highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game Official Launch Trailer

Fast Travel Games and co-developer Windswept Interactive today launched Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game for Meta Quest 2. Set in Paradox Interactive’s hit universe, Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game is a VR action roguelite that tasks players with captaining the Aurora and setting out into uncharted space in search of the enigmatic Ghost Signal. Aspiring space captains can purchase the game now on the Meta Quest Store for $19.99.

In Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game, outer space comes vividly to VR with breathtaking visuals and dynamic audio for an immersive intergalactic experience. With a thorough tutorial, suspenseful narrative, and unpredictable encounters, explorers will uncover something different in every playthrough. While Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game is set in the Stellaris universe, familiarity with the hit grand strategy game is not required to enjoy its engaging story or fast-paced combat.

Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game features:

  • INTERSTELLAR SPACE BATTLES: Use the whole artillery of the Aurora against enemy armadas. Loot or purchase power-ups like freeze rays, atomic missiles, or dragon companions.

  • A UNIVERSE FULL OF WONDERS: As captain of the Aurora, encounter strange aliens in their home worlds and enter lost temples in the pursuit of the mysterious signal that seems to defy even death.

  • UPGRADE & CUSTOMIZE: Scan exotic creatures for the logbook and conduct research in multiple tech trees. Asynchronous multiplayer allows captains to scavenge other players’ deserted ships for valuables.

  • A NEVER-ENDING JOURNEY: Alongside story mode where randomized maps make every session unique, Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game includes daily challenges with global and local leaderboards to climb.

Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game can also be played with Hand Tracking 2.0.

Bandai Namco NI NO KUNI II: REVENANT KINGDOM – PRINCE’S EDITION Available Now

Leading video game publisher and developer Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. today launched NI NO KUNI™ II: REVENANT KINGDOM – PRINCE’S EDITION, bringing an enhanced version of the popular RPG first released in 2018 to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows PC. The title is also now available for all subscribers on Xbox Game Pass. For more information, please visit: www.bandainamcoent.com/games/ni-no-kuni-ii

NI NO KUNI II: REVENANT KINGDOM – PRINCE’S EDITION takes players on an epic journey as Evan, a boy prince who learns how to become a leader and build a new kingdom. The game features a charming story with many explorable locations, and numerous quests for players to uncover, where they will face off in exciting real-time battles against fearsome creatures. The experience is set in a beautifully crafted world, with music created by renowned composer Joe Hisaishi and character designs created by Yoshiyuki Momose.

Dead Island 2 Opening Sequence Released

Deep Silver and Dambuster Studios today reveal the stylish opening cinematic of Dead Island 2 created by ELASTIC, the award-winning creative studio behind some of the most iconic title sequences in recent years.

Discover a Los Angeles now stained with blood and flooded with the undead as you immerse yourself in Dead Island 2’s unique pulp tone in preparation for a one-way ticket to HELL-A. View a deserted, viscera-drenched Hollywood Boulevard and the empty mansions of the rich and famous in Bel Air. Visit what was once known as the City of Angels and see what gory details await you in sunny, zombie-infested HELL-A.

Watch the Dead Island 2 title sequence here:

Dead Island 2 will release on April 21 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, and PC via the Epic Games Store.

For more information on Dead Island 2 follow us on Twitter and Instagram @DeadIslandGame and on Facebook at @DeadIslandGameUK.

Aliens: Dark Descent Gameplay Trailer and Release Date

Today Tindalos Interactive and Focus Entertainment, in collaboration with 20th Century Studios, announced that Aliens: Dark Descent, the strategic, real-time, squad-based tactical action game, will launch worldwide on June 20, 2023, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. Alongside the release date, the first gameplay video for this terrifying original tale set in the iconic Alien universe was also revealed, breaking down what players can expect when your ship crash lands on the planet Lethe.

Aliens: Dark Descent slings fans into the cold embrace of space, where they’ll have to employ a range of tactical abilities to unravel an authentic Alien narrative full of sinister secrets, iconic Xenomorphs and brand-new threats. Dive in and explore the horrors and wonders found within Aliens: Dark Descent’s cinematic narrative campaign.

Outsmart the Xenomorph threat and unearth Lethe’s secrets

Recruit, level up and command your squad of Colonial Marines in real time as one unit with intuitive controls on both keyboard and mouse or controller. Watch how commands issued over comms are swiftly obeyed by the marine best-equipped for the situation according to their abilities and equipment. Players will need to use their wits to navigate expansive, persistent and reactive levels and complete objectives. But be cautious and monitor each marine’s vitals – death is permanent for any who fall in combat.

Aliens: Dark Descent slithers onto PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC on June 20, 2023. For more information, visit the Focus Entertainment website.

Kingdom Eighties Gameplay Teaser

Raw Fury has announced that Kingdom Eighties, the next standalone game in the award-winning micro-strategy series previously revealed for PC, will also launch later this year on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. The news was unveiled at The MIX Direct Spring 2023 Online Showcase with a new gameplay teaser exploring the levels of Kingdom Eighties, which will take the franchise to urban settings for the first time. Raw Fury is currently booking press appointments for Kingdom Eighties at this week’s Game Developers Conference. Kingdom franchise creative director Gordon Van Dyke will be on hand to showcase an exclusive overview of the game’s second level.

Kingdom Eighties is a love letter to the nostalgic days of summer camps, riding bikes, and sitting around in your pajamas on a Saturday morning in front of the TV. You play as the Leader, a young camp counselor who must protect the town from the relentless attacks of the mysterious Greed. The neighborhood kids will be at your side, and you’ll also find some new friends along the way: The Champ, the Tinkerer, and the Wiz will lend you their skills and support in battle.

Key Features:

  • A Kingdom Game for All: Kingdom Eighties adds a new storytelling approach that builds on the series’ well-known mechanics. Recruit neighborhood kids, assign them roles as builders or soldiers, and expand your territory while uncovering the secrets of your family lineage, the Greed, and the Crown of Creation.
  • Stronger Together: You don’t have to ride alone in this story of four unlikely heroes and their friendship. The Champ, the Tinkerer and the Wiz will join your band and offer a variety of strategies to discover with their unique abilities.
  • Hit the Streets in Style: Travel to new locations never before seen in a Kingdom game, crafted with the series’ distinctive pixel-art magic. Find fresh wheels at the skateboard park, visit the shops on Main Street, and free the New Lands Mall from the Greed.

Kingdom Eighties is available to wishlist now on Steam. For more information, visit the game’s official website.

EA SPORTS PGA TOUR Career Mode Trailer

Today, EA SPORTS is diving deep into what players can expect from its most in-depth Career Mode for EA SPORTS PGA TOUR launching Friday, April 7. Detailed in the blog here, EA SPORTS PGA TOUR’s Career Mode allows fans to experience golf’s biggest events with their personally created golfer and a dynamic and adaptive progression system. Players can evolve their customized character’s skills with in-depth detail through skill progression, attributes, fine tuning shot types and much, much more.

Career Mode Customization

Players will begin their journey by customizing their golfer’s appearance with a variety of visual customizations, equipment options, and swing styles. Golfer swing styles can be adjusted by shifting the swing form, swing tempo, preferred shot types and ball trajectory through Career Mode. Players can also choose iconic and new-age golf brand equipment, selecting the specific club head, shaft, grips and more. Players can also outfit their golfer with top of the line clothing and accessories authentic to the sport.

The Road to Greatness

Players will then get to pick and choose where they want to begin their journey: as an amateur in one of the top amateur events, on the Korn Ferry Tour, or the PGA TOUR. As an amateur, players will be able to play the U.S. Amateur Championship, Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Amateur Championship, Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, and Latin American Amateur Championship, culminating in Q-school where they’ll compete for a spot on the Korn Ferry Tour. An invitation to the Masters and U.S. Open will be sent once the amateur championships are conquered.

After players complete the Korn Ferry Tour, or if they choose to skip it, they’ll launch into the PGA TOUR, competing each week on golf’s biggest stages including the major championships to chase the legendary green jacket, a Grand Slam Title, race for the FedExCup, and more.

During Career Mode, players can use the “AI Pairings” setting to play shot-for-shot against an AI PGA TOUR pro, or turn it off to speed up the round and concentrate solely on the game. AI performance is based on official ShotLink data, so pros play each course and particular hole just like they would in real life.

Skill Progression and Shot Types

Career Mode utilizes an RPG-like style of progression where players can build their golfer’s skill set over time. Earning XP and Skill Points, and applying them to categories such as Power, Driving, Approach, Short Game and Putting will unlock new shot types and upgrades to assist them in succeeding as courses become more difficult.

The Season Hub is where players can regularly check their upgrades, view the entire calendar of events, track career progression and other milestones through the “Career Mastery” tab. Completed and ongoing Quests – sets of challenges categorized under either a course or a tournament – can also be viewed to develop skills and unlock new shot types. By completing different challenges, players can control the specs of their ball and club which offer customizable performance characteristics across the areas of power, accuracy, control, and recovery.

Attributes

Players will have a variety of attributes that can be influenced by completing quests throughout Career Mode:

  • Power – Upgrading this attribute adds more power and influences swing speed at tee off.
  • Accuracy – The higher the accuracy, the smaller the mishit and window sizes become.
  • Control – The higher the player’s control, the more accurately they’ll be able to influence grip, shot shaping accuracy and ball spin.
  • Recovery – Recovery decreases the impact of penalties applied when in bad lies such as rough and sand. Penalties include:
    • Carry distance penalty
    • The size of the range shown in the carry distance penalty window
    • Natural spin penalty
    • Shot shaping penalty
    • Spin control penalty
    • Mishit tolerance window penalty
    • Penalty for off-plane swings and mishits

Farming Simulator 22 Göweil Pack Out Now

It’s an un-bale-lievable fun activity, now heavily extended: With the Göweil Pack for Farming Simulator 22, publisher and developer GIANTS Software launches the first of multiple content packs in 2023, and extends the process of baling and wrapping various resources. It’s available now and accompanied by a narrated launch trailer.

https://youtu.be/LzcafEHBxKs

Göweil Pack Introduces New Machines & Gameplay Possibilities
“We’ve added technology that’s entirely new to Farming Simulator: The Göweil Pack expands the fleet of machines with new possibilities for baling-oriented farming operations and their complexity.”, comments Thomas Frey, Creative Director and Partner Manager at GIANTS Software. “Nine machines are introduced and let virtual farmers transform more resources into bales than before: corn silage, sugar beet pulp, mixed feed, and more.”

Included are internationally popular machines by Göweil: Among them, the stationary baler wrapper combinations LT-Master F115 and VARIO-Master V140, the autonomous bale wrapper G4010 Q Profi and the roller wrapper G1015 that lets players transport, wrap, and stack bales with one single, efficient machine. Also included: Göweil RBG and BTGQU, G-1 F125 Kombi, G-1 F125 and the G5020.

First Pack Released, Three More & One Expansion to Go
In addition, GIANTS Software and Göweil deliver quality-of-life-enhancing tools like silage additive tanks and bale turners to further increase the quality and handling of bales. Down the road in 2023, the publisher plans even more extensive additions and updates that will be revealed in the upcoming months.

Farming Simulator 22 and the Göweil Pack are available for PC, Mac, PlayStation®5 (PS5™), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One. A Year 2 Season Pass is available, which includes the Göweil Pack, three more packs and one expansion – fans save up to 30% compared to getting the content separately. The Göweil Pack is the first of many official updates in 2023. Even more content will be added free of charge, while the official in-game ModHub continues to grow with developer-tested user creations.

Remnant from the Ashes Nintendo Switch Launch Trailer

The end of the world has left humanity fighting for survival against hordes of monstrous creatures in a world shrouded in darkness and despair. Now, the award-winning action game “Remnant from the Ashes” is available on Nintendo Switch, immersing players in a chilling journey that tests their skills and bravery.

As a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world, players must use a range of weapons and abilities to navigate dangerous environments, battle deadly enemies, and unravel the secrets of a world gone mad. Will you have what it takes and retake what was lost? Remnant from the Ashes is now available on Nintendo Switch at an SRP of € 39.99 / $ 39.99 / £ 34.99 / AU$ 54.95. The DLCs Swamps of Corsus and Subject 2923 are already included.

Remnant: From the Ashes is coming to Nintendo Switch™ today, and is already available for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution Launch Trailer

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution, the latest chapter in the award-winning apocalyptic VR series based on Skybound Entertainment’s The Walking Dead, is available today on PC and PS VR2. Following Chapter 2’s Meta Quest launch late last year, the development team at Skydance Interactive listened to its community’s feedback and implemented various improvements leading up to today’s PC and PS VR2 launch. In tandem with Chapter 2’s launch, Skydance Interactive is also offering players several options to enjoy The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners franchise on these platforms.

In addition to the Chapter 1 launch on PS VR2,  Skydance Interactive is giving players PS VR2 specific visual and gameplay upgrades, the ability to transfer Chapter 1 save data into Chapter 2 on supported platforms (PS, PC and Meta), a day-one patch and more:

  • Chapter 1 Upgrade to PS VR2: PlayStation VR players looking to catch up on the The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners story can get a FREE upgrade to PS VR2 if they already own the Tourist Edition of the original title on PS VR. Those with the standard version on PS VR can pay $10 to upgrade to the Tourist edition, to unlock the upgrade on PS VR2. This upgrade will be available alongside the March 21 launch of Chapter 2: Retribution.

  • Chapter 1 Save Game Path Support for Each Platform: Skydance added more flexibility for save game data transfer between games and VR platforms. Players who have Chapter 1 saves can upload them to Chapter 2 through Meta, PC and PlayStation VR hardware; PICO support arriving later this year.

  • Day-One Patch and Weapon: Skydance Interactive dropped a day-one patch that brings several quality-of-life improvements and addresses some community feedback.  As a thank you to all players, the patch will also include a brand-new compound bow called, “The Orphan”. A sample list of today’s patch includes the following:

    • Added cloud based cross platform support for save transfers and save sharing

    • Improved environmental lighting

    • Community mod names are now included

    • Improved NPC animations

    • Rebalanced armored enemies

    • And more

Newcomers and players returning to The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners world will once again jump into the role of The Tourist as they navigate all-new threats lurking around every corner of the flooded city of New Orleans. In Chapter 2: Retribution, players are tasked with facing more than the undead Walkers roaming the streets, as various factions and individuals have risen in power. There’s also the unrelenting threat of the Axeman that introduces a new level of terror to the game.

The original The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners was praised by critics and VR enthusiasts alike for its intuitive, physics-based combat, original storyline and engaging survival crafting system. It was also a global top seller across all platforms, generating more than $90 million in sales. Based on feedback from the VR community at large, Chapter 2: Retribution refines these aforementioned features while also providing new and exciting tools for players to experiment and ultimately survive with such as the laser sight, suppressor, submachine gun and the powerful chainsaw melee weapon.

To keep up to date on news for The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution visit the official website and follow The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Discord.